Crutch



I H, N. LAPLANT.

GRUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6, lens.

1 22,800. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

WITNES I v INVENTOR.

fiki/ylldpdanf ATTORNEY.

support is formed material, havingthe end portions thereof assembly hereinafter our.

HARRY N. LAPLANT, 0F DETROIT IVTIQHIGAN.

CRUTCI-IQ To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY N. LAPLANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, inthe county of Wayne and State *of' Michigan, have invented certain new and be absorbed by this support. to relieve jarring from the shoulder of the user.

Another'object of this invention is the production of a crutch wherein the shoulder from a strip of resilient bent to provide a plurality of convolutions whichare retained upon the cross piece of theorutch whereby the user may use'the crutch'without the jar being imparted to his sl'i'oulder, since the shoulder support will yield to absorb shockswhen undue strain bears thereupon;

One practical form of construction and of the present invention will be described and is illustrated. in the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe shoulder support, the crutch member being shownin fragmentary elevation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the device illustrating the manner in which the retaining frames are used.

Fig. taken on the line 38 of Fig. 2. I

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, about to be described, 5 designates the supporting standards of the usual construction having the horizontally extending cross piece 6 fixed upon their upper ends in the usual manner.

Thisconstruction may be of any desired nature, as the invention resides in the specific construction of the shoulder support and the retaining means therefor, the particular illustration of the crutch member herein made being for the purpose of disclosing the operation of the specific invention.

extends upwardly adjacent its thus providing a socket like por Specification of Letters Patent.

3 is a fraginentalry; sectional view the body being the lowest, while tion to permit the shoulder support from sllpplng from the arm pit of the user when the device is in use.

The body 7 of the shoulder support has sem1-c1rcular1y curved end portions 8 from which extend the converging fingers 9 as.

struction as shown in Fig. 3. The body portions. of these retaining: frames have fiat inner surfaces, althoughthe outer surfaces thereof are rounded to eliminate uneven Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application filed. Marchfi, 1919. Serial No. 280,952.

substantially of an inverted U-shaped conedges. The shanks 12extendfrom the sides of each-retaining frame, the lower: ends of the shanks 12 being threaded as shown at 12. As will be noted in Fig. 1, the shoulder supporttis-provided with convolutions upon each finger 9 and a retaining/frame 11' is passed through each series of convolutions. Reinforcing plates 13 are carried upon the upper; surfaces of the cross piece16 and it will benoted that th'e lower. ends of the sides of the retaining: frames 11 bear upon these plates 13, although:theshanks 12 extend through 1 these plates and also pass through the cross piece 6 as shown in Fig; 3.

A: binding plate 14 'is carriedupon the projecting ends ofeach pair. of shankseand.

nuts 15 are then screwed onto these shanks to firmly clamp the plates upon the cross piece and also hold the retaining frames .in set position.

By referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the convolutions of the fingers are coiled in opposite directions and for this reason when the framesare fixed upon the cross piece 6 and are engaging the convolutions, the shoulder piece will be firmly held from displacement. However, the convolutions 10 loosely pass through the frames, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thus allowing the convolutions to expand or contract freely, although being held from displacement by the frames.

When the device is in use, the crutch is used in the usual manner and at this time the shoulder support is positioned under the armpit of the user or directly below the shoulder. As considerable pressure is applied to the shoulder plece, under varlous conditions, it is obvious the resilient construction thereof will cause the body 7 to spring downwardly a slight distance, while v @the fingers9 will also spring or yield, as

1 appended claims;

Will the convolutions 10, thus allowing undue shocks to be absorbed by the shoulder support, without jarring the shoulder of the user or otherwiserendering'use or the crutch uncomfortable.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple shoulder support has been produced, which is of a resilient construction, thus allowing the same to be easily held in engagement with the armpit ofv the user, although the shoulder support will easily yield to constitute a shock ab .sorber, while the frames will permit of the Having thus fully described my inven tion, what Iclaim as new anddesire to se terminating in oppositely coiled spaced con Y volutions, and means holding the convocure by Letters Patent is L 1. In a device of the character described,;

the combination of a: crutch-element, a res1l1ent shoulder support formed from'a slngle strip of material and comprlslng a longgitudinally curved body, end portions of said bodybeing curved substantially semicircularly and terminating in downwardly extendmg converging fingers, said :fingers V gle strip of material and comprising an elonlutions upon the crutch element, thus holding the shoulder support from displacement.

2. Ina device of the character described, the combination of'a crutch element, a shoulder support formed from a strip of resilient material and comprising a body having opposit'ely curved ends, downwardly extending converging fingers projecting from the ends, and terminating in oppositely coiled spaced convolutions, substantially inverted U shaped retaining frames passing through said convolutions and being fixed uponsaidv element, thus holding said shoulder support in a desired position, although allowing the same to easily yield when pressure is brought to bear thereon.

3. In a device of the character described, the combinationof a crutch element, a resilient shoulder support formed from a sin- I gated body, the endportions of said body being coiled into a plurality of convolutions which rest upon the crutch element, and

means for holding the convolutions against c c displacement, thus holding the shoulder sup port in position for use. v c 7 4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a crutch element, a shoulder support formed from a strip of resilient material and comprising an elongated body, 75 i the end-portions of. said body being coiled V to form a plurality of convolutions, substantially inverted U-shaped retaining frames passing through said convolutions and be-g ing fixed upon said element, thus holding 80 said shoulder support in adesired position,

although allowing thesame. to easilyyield;

when pressure is brought to bear thereon, In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of: two witnesses. V V

l HARRY narmiNi} V Witnesses: i W

, CARL W. V0GEL, ERNEST N. RoUssEAU. I 

